Shadows in a Brilliant Life is a short story in which Captain Frederick Wentworth is not an honorable man, but a man looking to gratify his own selfish desires. when Anne Elliot sees that Louisa Musgrove is the object of Wentworth's lust, she must try to stop him. with Louisa out of danger, is Anne his new target?
Review:
At the beginning of her novel, Susan Kaye explains the
prompt for this book: She partook in a writing challenge where authors were to
take a hero and turn him into a villain. Interesting.
One must truly know Captain Wentworth well—his past, his pain,
his fears—and examine other ways in which he may have reacted to Anne’s abandonment.
How would Captain Wentworth deal? Would one be bitter and hard-hearted toward love
in any form?
When pretty, vivacious Louisa Musgrove offers a pleasant
diversion in a secluded cottage, our ignoble, heartbroken hero takes Louisa up
on her entertaining offer. However, there is only one thing stopping Captain
Wentworth: Anne Elliot.
Totally taken aback by Wentworth’s rakish behavior, Anne
confronts the man who still holds her heart, though she no longer recognizes
that man. Wentworth agrees to leave Louisa at home on one condition: Anne goes
to the cottage in her place. What will Anne do? Can she convince this
once-gentleman-now-turned-libertine to change his dastardly ways?
Some may not like seeing Captain Wentworth in such a
negative light. And I agree; I probably would not either had the author not
forewarned the reader about the prompt for the piece. Yet, at the same time, an
argument is taking place in my head. After having one’s romantic hopes totally
dashed and disregarded, is it probable that Wentworth could act the rake? I say,
yes. It is possible that Captain Wentworth would handle his heartbreak the
way so many others do: at the bottom of a bottle and with a string of
meaningless swives. Why not? His pain is deep, and hope is lost…almost.
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